Flywheel assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications including, for example, satellite pointing operations, automobiles, telecommunication industry and even some electrification systems. Frequently, flywheel assemblies are mounted for rotation on a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. Often times, high speed rotation of the engine produce vibrations that can propagate through the crankshaft and out to the flywheel assembly and be radiated as a component of the engine noise. Such vibrations or noises are often undesirable or otherwise objectionable.
To minimize or possibly even completely eliminate such undesirable/objectionable vibrations and/or noises, many flywheel assemblies employ a damper or a damping mechanism for absorbing and damping vibrations and therefore, a portion of the overall noise. Often, such damping mechanisms are employed in between the crankshaft and the flywheel. Although adequate in most regards, such damping mechanisms are nevertheless inadequate in at least some circumstances. For example, damping mechanisms connected at least indirectly to the flywheel can add to the overall weight of the flywheel, making the flywheel less desirable for internal combustion engines used in applications requiring portability or otherwise having weight restrictions. Additionally, external damping mechanisms are susceptible to damage and break-down, rendering the damping mechanism and the flywheel to which it is connected, inefficient or possibly even completely incapable of being used.
It would therefore be advantageous if a flywheel assembly having a more efficient vibration suppression/prevention mechanism is developed. It would further be advantageous if such a damping mechanism is not external or otherwise connected externally to the flywheel, but rather is incorporated into the flywheel structure. Still further, it would be advantageous if a damping mechanism that does not add significantly to the weight of the flywheel is developed.